The server is too busy at the moment. Please try again later. - Page 3

bobjob · #21 12-10-2021, 05:24 PM

The 'error message' is key. If it's a server issue that's not down to web traffic etc. and reported server issues are what caused the major outage on SF some time ago.

Guillaume · #22 12-10-2021, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

Last couple days happening often to me...anyone else? Or is it me?

Just happened to me.

Miss Hepburn · #23 12-10-2021, 05:35 PM

Thanks guys.

I am no techy, btw.

bobjob · #24 12-10-2021, 05:52 PM

A look back at the situation that led to this conversation shows there were problems almost a year ago.

Whether anything was done at that time to improve the picture, to lighten the operating load, increase the capacity of the server or the hosting package or whatever else might be appropriate I have no idea but it would be a great shame to ignore any early warnings of system problems similar to those that took SF offline for quite a time.

A stitch in time saves nine......

bobjob · #25 12-10-2021, 05:53 PM

Could anyone detail what 'error message' they saw?

Miss Hepburn · #26 12-10-2021, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobjob

Could anyone detail what 'error message' they saw?

I don't recall anyone saying 'error' ..We see what the Title of the thread says.

bobjob · #27 12-10-2021, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

I don't recall anyone saying 'error' ..We see what the Title of the thread says.

The 'error message' is what you're being informed about. Is it the same one as last year "The server is too busy at the moment...." etc? If so that's what we started seeing repeatedly in the run up to the eventual crash of the website for quite some time. If it's happening again, and if it becomes frequent, it may be signalling problems building in the operating systems.

You can't have forgotten the member trauma occasioned when SF went down the pan. I'm sure folk would welcome an early intervention to prevent a recurrence of that outage.

Guillaume · #28 12-10-2021, 06:35 PM

I've been admin of a forum (not this app though), I can think of a few things that could cause / solve that (seems to be a server overload):
- emptying the cache : to optimize page loading, the app server puts posts in cache, and regular cleaning can be beneficial (it not done automatically)
- search index : sometimes search can cause problems because not all posts get indexed, and an index re-creation is necessary
- restrict search to active members only
- bots activity : I don't know if bots are allowed to index the forum content but this can cause latency. The solution would be to either deny the access of bots that are causing the trouble, or having less forum sections available to public (more in members only)
- archive / delete old threads or put them in a members-only section
- checking and removing potential links that direct traffic to the forum: if a popular search or a link to a forum post gets a lot of attention, the forum would receive a ton of external traffic

bobjob · #29 12-10-2021, 07:24 PM

Good hosting should minimise the need for administrator involvement in server operation. I don't know who hosts this website or how good the internal housekeeping is and the admin staff here may not know either.

After the last major outage improvements were made and since then I haven't been aware of problems until today. The suggested fields of involvement might help if problems similar to before are beginning again and if admin staff have the understanding to carry them out.

BigJohn · #30 12-10-2021, 07:48 PM

I have noticed this problem for some time. It seems to go down a lot when our European members seem to first go on to the Forums. I suspect thee are a lot of European members and they seem to be seeing what is going on first thing in the morning. Some do this along with their coffee.